Our fight to protect prevailing wage is heating up. It is VERY important that you contact your Legistlators.ONE CALL CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE!

Posted below (link) is a flyer with the phone number for you to contact your legislator.
Let's Get Involved - and flood the Legislators with calls of Support for PREVAILING WAGE!

CALL YOUR STATE LEGISLATORS AT: 1-855-721-3304"Tell them to Support Michigan's Prevailing Wage Laws"

Big Fight Looms in Lansing on Prevailing Wage

Michigan’s labor movement is facing another big fight in Lansing.

Right now there’s a small group of rat contractors led by ABC and funded by right-wing billionaire Dick DeVos who are spending big money to repeal Michigan’s 50-year-old prevailing wage law.

They’ve submitted petition signatures to put the measure before the legislature, and if they approve it, the repeal will become law without ever going to the governor’s desk. But if the legislature rejects it, or fails to take action, the measure will go on the 2016 election ballot.

We think the people should decide on an issue this important. That’s why the Michigan Building and Construction Trades are mobilizing together to make sure the legislature does the right thing and lets voters have their say next November.

Prevailing Wage Works

Getting rid of prevailing wage at a time when we’re trying to fix the roads is one of the dumbest ideas ever to come out of Lansing – and that’s saying something.

Prevailing wage ensures that construction work is done safely, on-time, and on-budget by well-trained workers. Prevailing wage also means that our taxpayer dollars go to hire Michigan residents, instead of hiring unskilled workers from other states.

And most importantly, prevailing wage ensures that construction workers are paid fair, middle class wages that can sustain a family.

As construction trade unionists, you have some of the toughest and most dangerous jobs. Many construction workers get up before the crack of dawn, and sometimes drive for hours just to reach a job site.

You endure extreme weather conditions – from the late spring flurries of March, to the blistering summer sun of July, and the driving wind and rain of October – just to make sure the job gets done, and that public safety is protected.

That’s why we need to make sure we’re getting the best value for our tax dollars by hiring the best-trained, high-quality construction workers available who can get the job done right the first time.

We don’t want untrained workers building our roads, bridges, and schools for our kids. That’s a recipe for disaster.

The simple fact is that there is no evidence of any cost savings by getting rid of prevailing wage. When Michigan’s prevailing wage laws were suspended in the 1990s, building projects didn’t see any difference in cost.

That’s why polls have shown that less than a third of the public think we should get rid of it.

Business and Labor Find Common Ground

This is an issue where business and labor – and even Republicans and Democrats – have found common ground.

Barton Malow is the largest construction company based in Michigan. Earlier this spring, its Vice President Mike Stobak testified to the Michigan Legislature that “prevailing wage laws have provided a model which allows both union and non-union contractors the ability to participate on public projects while appropriately balancing cost, productivity, quality, and safety.”

And while we rarely agree with Governor Snyder, even he has come out against repealing prevailing wage, because he knows it will hurt skilled trades jobs and Michigan’s future.

What You Can Do Right Now

We think the voters should decide on an issue this big, but we need your help to make it happen.

To fight back, take a minute to visit www.MichiganPrevails.com to write a letter to your state representative and tell them you support prevailing wage. You can also call your representative toll-free by using our hotline at 855-721-3304. Just remember to be respectful when you call or write.

By working together and taking action now, we can win this fight to protect prevailing wage in Michigan.